Hannah
Friday, 16 January 2009
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Storyboards
A storyboard shows you how individual camera shots are used to create a ‘narrative flow’ within the sequence. Each single shot is drawn as a ‘frame’ which is annotated with brief information about the settings, actions, and camera angles, shot types, camera movements and editing notes. The different frames connect together with words or symbols that create a ‘flow’ of the images.
The pre-production of the film is when the director and production designer will discuss what look and feel they want for the film which will lead to them planning the films set and costumes. A storyboard artist will then draw up the director’s rough ideas, creating a more detailed version and adding any necessary details, action, camera and lighting directions.
The director then discusses these detailed storyboards with the director of photography whose job is to achieve the ‘look’ that they want for the film on screen. They will discuss each specific shot, analysing the composition of the scene, camera placements, camera movements, lighting and the equipment needed for each shot.
The storyboard is an important piece of information for the film crew as it gives everyone a common outline which they can work from. Production is when the filming begins. Copies of the storyboard are given to the members of the crew so that everyone knows what is required for each shot in the way of placement of lights, camera movements, movement of actors etc.
The director may change his mind about ideas stemming from the storyboard once on the set as the storyboard is only being used as a guideline for shooting.
When it comes to special effect sequences most of the backdrop are added later either by computer or matte painting so it is vitally important that actors know exactly where they should be in the shot and what they have to react to. If the actors follow the storyboards with the director they are more likely to give a convincing performance. When the film reaches the post-production stage the storyboards are used as a visual reminder of what has been filmed and in what order. They are used by film editors, especially those working on special effect films, where each effect has to be perfectly timed to match what is going on around it. Non-linear digital editing is often used as it means that films can be swiftly edited on a computer desktop, however the storyboard remains a blueprint of the original intentions for the film and provides a framework against which all the changes can be judged.
Robyn
The pre-production of the film is when the director and production designer will discuss what look and feel they want for the film which will lead to them planning the films set and costumes. A storyboard artist will then draw up the director’s rough ideas, creating a more detailed version and adding any necessary details, action, camera and lighting directions.
The director then discusses these detailed storyboards with the director of photography whose job is to achieve the ‘look’ that they want for the film on screen. They will discuss each specific shot, analysing the composition of the scene, camera placements, camera movements, lighting and the equipment needed for each shot.
The storyboard is an important piece of information for the film crew as it gives everyone a common outline which they can work from. Production is when the filming begins. Copies of the storyboard are given to the members of the crew so that everyone knows what is required for each shot in the way of placement of lights, camera movements, movement of actors etc.
The director may change his mind about ideas stemming from the storyboard once on the set as the storyboard is only being used as a guideline for shooting.
When it comes to special effect sequences most of the backdrop are added later either by computer or matte painting so it is vitally important that actors know exactly where they should be in the shot and what they have to react to. If the actors follow the storyboards with the director they are more likely to give a convincing performance. When the film reaches the post-production stage the storyboards are used as a visual reminder of what has been filmed and in what order. They are used by film editors, especially those working on special effect films, where each effect has to be perfectly timed to match what is going on around it. Non-linear digital editing is often used as it means that films can be swiftly edited on a computer desktop, however the storyboard remains a blueprint of the original intentions for the film and provides a framework against which all the changes can be judged.
Robyn
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Representation
Another key aspect that has to be taken into account while doing our project is representation of age. In this category, there are 7 main groups. These are:
· Children
· Young people
· Young adults
· 30 year olds
· Adults
· 40/50 year olds
· Elder
The group which we are using in our project is young people. Within this section there are two main images that are associated with young people. These include:
· Teens who cause trouble – knife crime, asbos, rude, rebellious, drug takers etc.
· Teens who are fun – attractive and happy, aiming for success etc.
Teens as troubles
In general young people are seen as a threat by adults as they are thought to be the next generation who will rise up to take power from them, causing threatening changes to society. One great example of this is the teddy boys in the late 1950’s early 60’s. This group of young boys were demonised in the papers and accused of causing the social meltdown this created a 'moral panic.' This was the media taking advantage of a certain group (which they continue to do) as teddy boys didn’t have the power to fight back against the accusations.
Teens as fun
If a product is targeted at teens which has a negative attitude towards them it is unikely that it will succeed. However with the right technique a film producer can turn an intended negative meaning into a positive one. One example of this is the 1947 film “the wild one”. The character Johnny Strabler (played by Marlon Brando) was meant to be seen as “a social evil” that had to be “stomped out”. It was even stated in the opening titles. However, the leather cap, leather jacket and Harley Davidson attracted young people as it was “cool”. As a result the sales of all three items rocketed as American teens wants to be just like their idol. This proves that there is more than one way to respond to a text.
The money maker
However, producers and directors have realised that if they change the representation of young people then it will become more appealing and make more profits. One of the most recent examples is the “clean teen” image which has been used by the Disney channel. This is shown in such things like the worldwide phenomenon “High school musical” and “Hannah Montana" which have moved from a film (High School Musical) and a programme (Hannah Montana) into a global brand with the release of merchandise and CD's etc to capitalise on the films success. In these shows the youngsters are shown in a positive ways which is meant to attract more viewers and act as a positive role model for other children. However, some teens become hostile towards this because they see it as “too good to be true” or "fake."
Teen appeal
A new technique is creating teen characters in programmes that appeal to other teens and make them want to emulate the people they are seeing on the screen. One example of this is the E4 show “skins.” This is aimed at older teens and young people and is written by a team that are the same age as their target audience (the youngest member is only 18 years old), therefore they know what their viewers want, what their interests are, etc. The actors are the same age as the characters they are playing so the audience will find them more relatable. There is also a teen consultant that is there to ensure authenticity. The characters shown are not “clean teen” but neither are they the rebellious type, they are just portraying the reality of what goes on in teens today.
Hollie
· Children
· Young people
· Young adults
· 30 year olds
· Adults
· 40/50 year olds
· Elder
The group which we are using in our project is young people. Within this section there are two main images that are associated with young people. These include:
· Teens who cause trouble – knife crime, asbos, rude, rebellious, drug takers etc.
· Teens who are fun – attractive and happy, aiming for success etc.
Teens as troubles
In general young people are seen as a threat by adults as they are thought to be the next generation who will rise up to take power from them, causing threatening changes to society. One great example of this is the teddy boys in the late 1950’s early 60’s. This group of young boys were demonised in the papers and accused of causing the social meltdown this created a 'moral panic.' This was the media taking advantage of a certain group (which they continue to do) as teddy boys didn’t have the power to fight back against the accusations.
Teens as fun
If a product is targeted at teens which has a negative attitude towards them it is unikely that it will succeed. However with the right technique a film producer can turn an intended negative meaning into a positive one. One example of this is the 1947 film “the wild one”. The character Johnny Strabler (played by Marlon Brando) was meant to be seen as “a social evil” that had to be “stomped out”. It was even stated in the opening titles. However, the leather cap, leather jacket and Harley Davidson attracted young people as it was “cool”. As a result the sales of all three items rocketed as American teens wants to be just like their idol. This proves that there is more than one way to respond to a text.
The money maker
However, producers and directors have realised that if they change the representation of young people then it will become more appealing and make more profits. One of the most recent examples is the “clean teen” image which has been used by the Disney channel. This is shown in such things like the worldwide phenomenon “High school musical” and “Hannah Montana" which have moved from a film (High School Musical) and a programme (Hannah Montana) into a global brand with the release of merchandise and CD's etc to capitalise on the films success. In these shows the youngsters are shown in a positive ways which is meant to attract more viewers and act as a positive role model for other children. However, some teens become hostile towards this because they see it as “too good to be true” or "fake."
Teen appeal
A new technique is creating teen characters in programmes that appeal to other teens and make them want to emulate the people they are seeing on the screen. One example of this is the E4 show “skins.” This is aimed at older teens and young people and is written by a team that are the same age as their target audience (the youngest member is only 18 years old), therefore they know what their viewers want, what their interests are, etc. The actors are the same age as the characters they are playing so the audience will find them more relatable. There is also a teen consultant that is there to ensure authenticity. The characters shown are not “clean teen” but neither are they the rebellious type, they are just portraying the reality of what goes on in teens today.
Hollie
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Music
There are two types of music, diegetic and non diegetic. Diegetic sound is when it exists in the “world of the characters” for examples the dialogue between the characters and music which can be heard by characters. Non-diegetic sound is music that is there purely for the audience for example, atmospheric music, soundtracks, voice over and narration.
One great example is Taxi driver. The music director uses non-diegetic music to create haunting atmosphere while the voice over tell us, the audience, the main protagonists thoughts.
One piece of music that we would have used is the first 19 seconds of big dreams, sung by bow wow as it would create irony.
Or group 1 crew as it creates an atmosphere in the first few seconds and in the chorus (56 seconds – 1 minute 20 seconds)
One great example is Taxi driver. The music director uses non-diegetic music to create haunting atmosphere while the voice over tell us, the audience, the main protagonists thoughts.
One piece of music that we would have used is the first 19 seconds of big dreams, sung by bow wow as it would create irony.
Or group 1 crew as it creates an atmosphere in the first few seconds and in the chorus (56 seconds – 1 minute 20 seconds)
For copy right reasons we are unable to use these so we have chosen some music from the CD’s in which our media teacher provided us with.
Hannah
Props
Props are a vital part of video production. It gives a sense of realism to the film. Everyone has heard of props but what does it mean? Well the term prop refers to any movable item which is visible on a film. There are many different types of props, these include:
· Dressing props – things that are used to dress the sets (furniture drapes, flooring etc.)
· Hand props – items that are used or held by the actors
· Hero props – objects central to the action in a scene
· Stunt props – replica items made of soft materials
· Mechanical props – move or illuminate
Other props also include:
· Weapons – knife, gun, saw
· Greenery - plants, trees, flowers
For our project we intend to use
Scissors
Glue
Headlines
Black book
Crafting knife
Robyn
Actors
While filming, a lot of students in the past (and most likely in the future) have made simple mistakes that have severely affected their grade. This could be due to:
· Costume changes
· Haircuts mid-sequence
· Poor lighting
· Drastic contrasts
· Poorly chosen and unconvincing props
· The characters performance
Although we are not being marked on our acting skills it could still affect our project as poor acting skills will undermine the overall flow and the realism of the mise en scene.
Although we had a 'student double' to help with our running scene, the rest of our acting (which isn't much) was performed by 2 of the members of our group. This saves time because there will be no need for screen tests, but their are limitations with this as they haven’t done any previous acting lessons other than the ones they did in drama in high school.
As you probably already know, although your not marked on them, simple things like having on a different top if you end up filming on seperate days (costume changes), or having unrealistic props that look homemade or like children's toys could seriously affect your grade as it seriously downgrades the look of the entire film.
Hollie
· Costume changes
· Haircuts mid-sequence
· Poor lighting
· Drastic contrasts
· Poorly chosen and unconvincing props
· The characters performance
Although we are not being marked on our acting skills it could still affect our project as poor acting skills will undermine the overall flow and the realism of the mise en scene.
Although we had a 'student double' to help with our running scene, the rest of our acting (which isn't much) was performed by 2 of the members of our group. This saves time because there will be no need for screen tests, but their are limitations with this as they haven’t done any previous acting lessons other than the ones they did in drama in high school.
As you probably already know, although your not marked on them, simple things like having on a different top if you end up filming on seperate days (costume changes), or having unrealistic props that look homemade or like children's toys could seriously affect your grade as it seriously downgrades the look of the entire film.
Hollie
Friday, 19 December 2008
Camera shots
During the making of a film, a director has to decide where to position the camera in relation to the action that is taking places. He/She has to consider the camera angle, camera level, camera height and camera distance. This is vital because the framing of the shot has to create atmosphere whether that is joyful or terrified.
Camera Angle
There are three general angles that are used in film these are-
1. Straight on
2. High angle
3. Low angle
By using the high angle it makes the character look vulnerable and powerless, this would be used during an emotional scene when the character is having a “mental breakdown”. The low angle shows superiority and this is useful for scenes such as bullying in a children’s programme.
Camera Level
This is when the frame is “level” or wonky”. For a level shot the camera person would use either a vertical shot (straight up and down) or a horizontal shot (side to side). However to create a shot which appears distorted or weird you would use diagonal angles (canted shot).
Camera Height
It is important to frame a shot from all different heights so then it keeps the audience intrigued because it changes their perspective. The camera can be positioned
· Close to the floor
· Shooting straight on (impression of low height)
· High up in a room
· Very high up in the sky
Camera distance
Typical camera distances are:
· Extreme Long shot (framing landscapes)
· Long shot (character in the distance)
· Medium shot (character from the knees or waist up)
· Close-up (show extreme detail or facial expressions)
· Extreme close-up (part of the head)
· Over the shoulder shot (shot made from over the shoulder of a character)
· Point of view (seen from the character’s point of view
· Two shot (shot with two characters in it)
This is all useful however it is very tempting to believe that a “low angle” always means superiority. This is not always the case; framings don’t have absolute or general meanings. It means different things in different contexts.
Below are the shots which we intend to use in our project:
· Long shot from behind the character running
· Close-up from behind
· Close up from the front (x10)
· Long shot of teenagers in town centre (x10)
· Medium shot of the desk (x2)
· Close up of the headlines (x6)
· Close ups of the hands (x6)
· Close up as camera flicks across pages in the book
· Medium close up of front of the book
· Long shot of teenagers in town centre again
· Medium shot of teenagers in town centre
· Close up of killers feet
· Close up of the victims head
Camera Angle
There are three general angles that are used in film these are-
1. Straight on
2. High angle
3. Low angle
By using the high angle it makes the character look vulnerable and powerless, this would be used during an emotional scene when the character is having a “mental breakdown”. The low angle shows superiority and this is useful for scenes such as bullying in a children’s programme.
Camera Level
This is when the frame is “level” or wonky”. For a level shot the camera person would use either a vertical shot (straight up and down) or a horizontal shot (side to side). However to create a shot which appears distorted or weird you would use diagonal angles (canted shot).
Camera Height
It is important to frame a shot from all different heights so then it keeps the audience intrigued because it changes their perspective. The camera can be positioned
· Close to the floor
· Shooting straight on (impression of low height)
· High up in a room
· Very high up in the sky
Camera distance
Typical camera distances are:
· Extreme Long shot (framing landscapes)
· Long shot (character in the distance)
· Medium shot (character from the knees or waist up)
· Close-up (show extreme detail or facial expressions)
· Extreme close-up (part of the head)
· Over the shoulder shot (shot made from over the shoulder of a character)
· Point of view (seen from the character’s point of view
· Two shot (shot with two characters in it)
This is all useful however it is very tempting to believe that a “low angle” always means superiority. This is not always the case; framings don’t have absolute or general meanings. It means different things in different contexts.
Below are the shots which we intend to use in our project:
· Long shot from behind the character running
· Close-up from behind
· Close up from the front (x10)
· Long shot of teenagers in town centre (x10)
· Medium shot of the desk (x2)
· Close up of the headlines (x6)
· Close ups of the hands (x6)
· Close up as camera flicks across pages in the book
· Medium close up of front of the book
· Long shot of teenagers in town centre again
· Medium shot of teenagers in town centre
· Close up of killers feet
· Close up of the victims head
Hannah
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